'Institutional' public safety building earns little praise

A "preferred option" public safety complex that sits to the right of the current fire department was reviewed by the Public Safety Building Committee at its September 5 meeting - to mixed reaction

The proposal gives about 16,000 square feet each to police and fire, with police housed on the lower level. It shaves about 5,000 square feet off of previous proposals, making for a compact interior design.

But it wasn't the interior design that brought the most commentary.

Committee member Robert Beck likened the exterior to a bunker.

"It may be the only way we can get a $13 million building in this town, or whatever it's going to cost," Beck said, "But to me, it's quite a disappointment."

But previous designs, committee member Richard Bates said, were likened to the Taj Mahal.

Residents speaking during the public commentary portion of the meeting opposed residents paying for something unattractive.

"They're asked to spend a lot of money on something that doesn't make a visual impact," said Newell Road resident Otto Lies.

One aspect of the design will cost little to alter, according to Kaestle Boos architects: the design showed three different rooflines, which are not significantly different in cost. The committee voted to endorse the peaked roof design.

The committee also voted to move forward with cost estimates for that design, rather than doing an exercise that would come up with a range of costs for the programs to be housed in that building.